1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a medical device and, in particular, a method and means for retaining and releasing an expandable, intraluminal prosthesis for the endovascular repair of diseased or damaged vessels.
Throughout this specification the terms proximal and proximally are used for a position or direction towards the patient's heart and the terms distal and distally are used for a position or direction away the patient's heart.
2. Related Art
The deployment of intraluminal prostheses into the lumen of a patient from a remote location by the use of a deployment device or introducer has been disclosed in a number of earlier patents and patent applications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,596 entitled “Aortic Graft, Device and Method for Performing an Intraluminal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair”, which is herein incorporated by reference, proposes the retention of a self expanding graft within a sleeve until it is to be deployed, at which time the sleeve is withdrawn and the graft is allowed to expand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,918 entitled “Prosthesis System and Method”, which is herein incorporated by reference, proposes a system and method for the deployment of a prosthesis in a blood vessel. The prosthesis is positioned between a delivery catheter and an outer sheath and expands outwardly upon removal of the sheath.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,227 entitled “Stent Delivery System”, which is herein incorporated by reference, proposes the delivery of a stent by mounting the stent to the outside of an inflatable catheter and retaining the ends of an unexpanded stent by fitting a sleeve over either end of the stent. Expansion of the stent is caused by inflation of the catheter between the sleeves so that the ends of the stent are withdrawn from the respective sleeves and the stent released and expanded into position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,235 entitled “Endovascular Transluminal Prosthesis for Repair of Aneurysm”, discloses apparatus and methods of retaining grafts onto deployment devices. These features and other features disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,235 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,235 is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,776 entitled “Expandable Transluminal Graft Prosthesis for Repair of Aneurysm” discloses improved barbs with various forms of mechanical attachment to a stent. These features and other features disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,776 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,776 is herein incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,931 entitled “Graft Prosthesis Materials” discloses graft prosthesis materials and a method for implanting, transplanting replacing and repairing a part of a patient and particularly the manufacture and use of a purified, collagen based matrix structure removed from a submucosa tissue source. These features and other features disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,931 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,931 is herein incorporated by reference.
PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO99/29262 entitled “Endoluminal Aortic Stents” discloses a fenestrated prosthesis for placement where there are intersecting arteries. This feature and other features disclosed in PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO99/29262 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO99/29262 is herein incorporated by reference.
PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO03/034948 entitled “Prostheses for Curved Lumens” discloses prostheses with arrangements for bending the prosthesis for placement into curved lumens. This feature and other features disclosed in PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO03/034948 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO03/034948 is herein incorporated by reference.
United States Published Patent Application No. 20030233140 entitled “Trigger Wire System” discloses release wire systems for the release of stent grafts retained on introducer devices. This feature and other features disclosed in United States Published Patent Application No. 20030233140 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of United States Published Patent Application No. 20030233140 is herein incorporated by reference.
United States Published Patent Application No. 20040098079 entitled “Thoracic Aortic Stent Graft Deployment Device” discloses introducer devices adapted for deployment of stent grafts particularly in the thoracic arch. This feature and other features disclosed in United States Published Patent Application No. 20040098079 could be used with the present invention and the disclosure of United States Published Patent Application No. 20040098079 is herein incorporated by reference.
United States Published Patent Application No. 20040054396 entitled “Stent-Graft Fastening” discloses arrangements for fastening stents onto grafts particularly for exposed stents. This feature and other features disclosed in United States Published Patent Application No. 20040054396 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of United States Published Patent Application No. 20040054396 is herein incorporated by reference.
PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO03/053287 entitled “Stent Graft with Improved Graft Adhesion” discloses arrangements on stent grafts for enhancing the adhesion of such stent grafts into walls of vessels in which they are deployed. This feature and other features disclosed in PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO03/053287 could be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO03/053287 is herein incorporated by reference.
PCT Patent Publication Number No. WO98/53761 entitled “A Prosthesis and a Method and Means of Deploying a Prosthesis”, which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses various embodiments of an introducer for positioning an expandable endovascular prosthesis in a lumen of a patient. In one disclosed embodiment, the introducer includes a trigger wire mechanism to control the release of a proximal portion of the prosthesis. It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus to deploy a graft prosthesis that provides a controlled release of a proximal portion of the prosthesis without the need for a trigger wire.